Letter to the editor: Slow down

City of The Dalles, I am writing to announce my anger at the drivers who decide that Quinton and East 13th streets are the new racetrack and should be driven on at speeds of 40-plus miles per hour.

Many times I have witnessed both men and women driving while texting, talking on cell phones, or even looking down at whatever they are looking at while speeding down my street not taking into account that there are not only children on this street but joggers, bikers, walkers and animals.

In the past week, I myself have lost two animals because of the rude drivers who decided that hitting them and leaving them for dead was easier than doing the humane thing and either seeking out help for the wounded or at the very least finding the owner. The first animal (Aug. 29) was brought to my attention from a City Police Officer who went from door to door to find the owner. Sebastian was still alive but was hurt and suffering; the vet was unable to save his life, but may have been able if the heartless person would have found his owner! He was left for hours before anyone found him hurt, suffering, and alone. On Sept.5, Joey was hit and left for dead.

My babies died alone and scared and I was not there to protect them from harm. People should not have to worry if their animals will be on the front porch when they get home to greet them or if they will find them dead in the street.

I understand it can’t always be helped, but it could be if people would stop driving so fast and realize that there are helpless animals that can’t scream out a warning or move as fast as a car. Next time it will be a child and then what? Will it be alright to leave the scene for that as well? It’s alright. It’s just an animal and it did not belong to you so why stop and why worry? Maybe because to me, they weren’t animals, they were my family, my children, and I loved them and now they are gone.